‘Gremlins’ remake gets a writer
The “Gremlins” remake is one of those stories that gets an update about every six months or so, usually when movie news is a bit slow, and content sites are looking for traffic.
It’s almost always the same bit about someone hearing WB is finally getting serious about moving forward, and then a final line about Steven Spielberg and Chris Columbus totally being onboard. You know, stuff you can say without including dates or details that someone might hold you to at a later time.
Well, Aintitcool.com is actually reporting something with a little more substance than the usual fluff, saying WB has hired Carl Ellsworth to write the screenplay and wait for it … Spielberg and Columbus are set to produce.
It looks like IMDB has updated its “Gremlins” page to reflect the news, which means at the very least, WB is kicking the project around again.
If accurate, the latest story will probably have more than a few “Gremlins” fans on edge since Ellsworth is the pen behind the “Red Dawn” remake and the upcoming “Goosebumps” project. He’s landed a few mild successes with “Disturbia” and “Red Eye,” but there isn’t really a project on his resume that screams he’s the right man for the job.
And then there’s always the question of, do we really need this remake in the first place?
As a casual fan of the original, and a guy who finds the sequel so out there it’s impossible not to enjoy, I don’t have any issues with the right team revisiting the property. Unfortunately, Ellsworth isn’t a name I’d ever put on that team, so I’m content to keep reading about minor updates for another 10 years. Maybe in 2025 WB will finally have a remake formula worthy of bringing Gizmo back to the big screen.
